Dhanteras 2026 and 2027: date, muhurat and meaning
Quick answer
Dhanteras 2026 falls on Friday, 6 November 2026 (Delhi). Dhanteras opens the five-day Diwali festival with evening worship of Dhanvantari, Kuber and Lakshmi, a lamp lit for Yama, and the custom of bringing home new metal utensils or gold.
Key takeaways
- 2026: Friday, 6 November 2026
- 2027: Wednesday, 27 October 2027
- Each year's section explains which rule gave the date and how the muhurat was cut to the tithi.
- All times are for Delhi; abroad the tithi follows local time, so the date can differ by a day.
What is Dhanteras?
Dhanteras takes its name from dhan (wealth) and teras (the thirteenth lunar day, or trayodashi). In North India it is called Kartik Krishna Trayodashi, the thirteenth day of the waning moon in Kartik. Calendars that end the month on the new moon (the amanta system, common in Gujarat, Maharashtra and the South) call the same day Ashwin Krishna Trayodashi. It is one date with two month names, and it marks the start of the Diwali week.
Two stories give the day its meaning. In the first, Dhanvantari, physician of the gods, rose from the churning of the ocean holding a pot of nectar on this tithi (lunar day), so the day is also Dhanvantari Jayanti. In the second, a young prince was fated to die on the fourth night of his marriage. His wife kept him awake with lamps and stories and piled her jewellery at the door, and Yama, the god of death, turned back dazzled. Hence the lamp lit for Yama.
How Dhanteras is observed
Cleaning is finished by morning, and doorways are decorated with rangoli and marigold strings. During the day families buy something new in metal: a steel or brass pot, a silver coin, a piece of gold, or even a broom, which many treat as a sign of Lakshmi. Many people carry a new vessel home with a little rice or sweets in it rather than empty.
In the evening the household worships Dhanvantari for health and Kuber and Lakshmi for prosperity, offering lamps, flowers, rice and sweets. Then a four-wicked lamp made of flour dough is placed outside the main door facing south, the direction of Yama. This is Yam deepdaan. In Maharashtra and Gujarat the day is called Dhantrayodashi and traders honour their account books. Families in the US, UK, Canada and Australia often keep the custom by buying a silver coin and lighting the Yama lamp on the porch.
Dhanteras 2026: date and muhurat (Delhi)
Friday, 6 November 2026
On this day Trayodashi (Krishna Paksha) covers more of pradosh kaal (three muhurtas after sunset).
- Tithi
- 6 Nov, 10:31 AM – 7 Nov, 10:48 AM
- Dhanteras puja (pradosh, Trayodashi and Vrishabha lagna together)
- 6:03 PM – 7:58 PM
- Pradosh kaal (full)
- 5:33 PM – 8:10 PM
- Vrishabha lagna (fixed sign)
- 6:03 PM – 7:58 PM
- Sunrise / sunset
- 6:37 AM / 5:33 PM
- Rahu kaal (this day)
- 10:43 AM – 12:05 PM
Full period (before cutting to the tithi): 5:33 PM – 8:10 PM
For Dhanteras the evening is what counts. Pradosh kaal is the window just after sunset when day turns into night, and the festival is kept on the day trayodashi is running during pradosh. Both the Lakshmi-Kuber puja and the Yama lamp belong to this window, and some families also look for a fixed (sthir) lagna, the rising sign, inside it. Shopping can happen any time in the day, but the worship is best done in pradosh.
Dhanteras 2027: date and muhurat (Delhi)
Wednesday, 27 October 2027
On this day Trayodashi (Krishna Paksha) covers more of pradosh kaal (three muhurtas after sunset).
- Tithi
- 27 Oct, 1:03 AM – 27 Oct, 10:50 PM
- Dhanteras puja (pradosh, Trayodashi and Vrishabha lagna together)
- 6:43 PM – 8:14 PM
- Pradosh kaal (full)
- 5:40 PM – 8:14 PM
- Vrishabha lagna (fixed sign)
- 6:43 PM – 8:39 PM
- Sunrise / sunset
- 6:29 AM / 5:40 PM
- Rahu kaal (this day)
- 12:05 PM – 1:29 PM
Full period (before cutting to the tithi): 5:40 PM – 8:14 PM
Dhanteras wishes
May the lamps of Dhanteras bring health, happiness and lasting prosperity to your home. Wishing you and your family a blessed Dhanteras.Send this on WhatsApp
More wishes will be added here soon.
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Frequently asked questions
What should you buy on Dhanteras?
Traditional purchases are new utensils of brass, copper or steel, silver coins, gold jewellery and a new broom. Some families also buy whole coriander seeds, offer them in the puja and later sow them in a pot. What matters is the intention: a small item bought with faith is considered just as auspicious as an expensive one, so buy what fits your budget.
What is Yam deepdaan on Dhanteras?
Yam deepdaan means offering a lamp to Yama, the god of death. On Dhanteras evening a lamp made of wheat dough, filled with mustard oil and fitted with four wicks, is placed outside the main door facing south. The family prays for long life and protection from untimely death. In many homes nobody turns back to look at the lamp once it is set down.
What time should Dhanteras puja be done?
The main Dhanteras puja is done in the evening during pradosh kaal, the period right after sunset, ideally while trayodashi is still running. Because pradosh depends on local sunset, the timing differs from city to city and country to country. If you live abroad, check the panchang calculated for your own city rather than relying on Indian timings.
Why is Dhanvantari worshipped on Dhanteras?
According to the Puranas, Dhanvantari emerged from the churning of the cosmic ocean on this very trayodashi, carrying a pot of amrit, the nectar of immortality. He is regarded as the physician of the gods and the patron of Ayurveda. So alongside wealth, Dhanteras is a day to pray for good health, and many Ayurvedic practitioners hold special worship for him.
Is Dhanteras celebrated by Indians abroad?
Yes. Hindu families in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and elsewhere keep Dhanteras by cleaning the house, buying a silver coin or a small utensil, and doing a short evening puja. Indian jewellers abroad often run Dhanteras offers. Because the day is worked out from local sunset, it can occasionally fall on a different day abroad than in India.
What should not be done on Dhanteras?
Many families avoid lending money, buying iron or sharp objects, and leaving the house dark on Dhanteras evening. Some will not bring an empty vessel home. These are folk beliefs that vary a great deal by region and family, so the best guide is the practice your own elders follow rather than any single list found online.